Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-01-21

uOGily Tue Q6aG1 sentence i W6DG 10 SSo
him. said: "Well, it is bad, and am
very sorry for you" Yes said he, lit
is bad, and am sorry toe--sorry for my
self, but far more for others whose hearts
will be broken by the resalt." Much has
been said about the fidelity and devotion
of his kindred. but nothing touched nee so
much as his brooding solicitude for his
mother and his aunt. He dreaded the
effect of his death upon them more than
for himself. He said that fer some time
his mind had been at rest so FAR as tne
future was concerned.
LAST HOURS.
Reporter are very anxious, OF
course, Doctor, to learn from you the par
ticulars of his last hours.
Dr.. Hatcher.-You must not expect me,
of course. to give you any traglcal or SEN
sational statements. Indeed, 1t is painful
to dwell upon an event SO mOurnful and
narrowing to me that l would gladly for
get it.
Reporter.-Do you mean to say that
your last hours with Cluverius were very
distressing ?
DR.. Hatcher.-To me they were, because
it was such an intolerable strain upon my
sympathies. He, of course, was very sad,
and the two hours which l spent with him
before his death were among the most try
ing of my life.
NOT A WORD OF CONFESSION.
Reporter.-Did be make any confession
OR give any hint of it!
DIR. Hatcher.-Not one word, and no
thing occurred which suggested to me that
be was struggling to keep back any secret.
When the news came that the Governor
inf T laft ,1n r
him in the cell, and as soon as the door
was shut we knelt in prayer. He arose
calmly and talked freely as to his end.
told him that all earthly hope was dead;
and that death was at hand. l told him
that: was the last moment when we could
BE- together alone, and if there WAS any.
s..ng that he had TO say there must b 3
delay. He said THAT there was noss
He had made his statement and had 40
motive for changing it,
Reporter-Did he talk about his relig-
lous prospects
DR.. Hatchery es, but cannot recite
the conversation in detail. Two or three
things he said, and as they came unsollc-
tied you can have them, He said that
the Bible had been to him a great comfort,
and that he would certainly have broken
down but for it's promises. de said:
Doctor, want to say to you that my
trust for the future is in Jesus Christ,
and | have no fear beyond DEATH"
never said anything TO him to make him
believe that he was a Christian, but when
he said this | felt constrained to tell him
that if in his heart he did truly and peni-
tently trust In the saving mercy of God he
had no reason to be afraid of the future.
AS [ was reading Psalm to him he
stopped me and said: II have had but
one prayer on my lips to day, and that is.
Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" l told
him that as came down to the prison
had intended to suggest that prayer to him
to take with him to The scaffod. but that
I was glad that he had already chosen it
for himself. He seemed strangely calm
and brigh6 as he talked of tina passage.
Reporter-Why did you pray with him
Just before he left the cell for the scaffolds
DR.. Hatcher-Because he sent into the
hall for me and asked me to do 1t. We
had already prayed together twice before
within an hour. He always seemed anx-
ious for me to pray for him when | went
to see him. and he told me, in our last in
tervieW that my visits had brought a
measure of comfort and joy to him which
he knew not how to express. did moth
ing, of course, but what any minister of
Christ would gladly have done for him;
but his tender and affectionate bearing,
and especially his simple and unfelgned
gratitude, would have amply compensated
me even If l had done far mo re.
ON THE sCAFFOLD.
Reporter Will you be kind enough to
reproduce the prayer that you offered on
the scatfold?
DR.. Hatcher-I beg to be excused. 1t
was brief and unprecedented prayer,
such as The sad occasion suggested, and [
could not possibly reproduce it, l do not
use written prayers.
Reporter-Did he request you to make
the statement that you made for him on
the scaffold, before you reached the scat
fold
. Dr.. Hatcher. He did not. am sure
that it was unprecedented, as he told me
L few minutes before that he would have
nothing to say.
Reporter. What was the exact state
ment2
DR.. Hatcher-It was this: "Please say
for me, Doctor, that 1 come to my death
without one hard feeling in my heart to-
ward any one in the world" simply re-
peated as nearly as L could what he said.
Reporter When you took leave of him
he said something to you which the repor-
tiers could not catch. Do you object to
revealing it
Dr. Hatcher.-N OF at all. AS took him
by the hand he said in low but distinct
voice: Goodbye, Doctor; [ am very
much obliged to you. Please try to COM
fort them at home, and give them my
love-" That ended the matter with me,
and Sergeant Smith was kind enough to
furnish me an escort and enable me to
leave the place before the last sad act.
And now will you not excuse me
''Now, WAS HE GUILTY."
Reporter.-Thank you. Doctor; but may
I not ask you if, after all. you do not
think he was guilty man
DR.. Hatcher. [ haye never said,
and surely aJ this time it would be strange
for me to commit myself to that view. l
have no wish to add to the freDZied eX-
citement which now fills so many hearts.
The poor young man is dead and beyond
the reach of human sympathy. My opin-
ion is Of little worth, but knew him as
no other man did during his prison life.
and while do not wish to discuss the
matter, must be candid enough to say
that | am far from being convinced that
he merited the shameful death to which
he has come.
GOVERNOR LEE.
Reporter-Just one more question. Have
you anything to say as to Governor Lees
dealt ng with the case?
DR.. Hatcher Perhaps ought to say
nothing. The Governor needs no COM
mendation from my lips. But my sense
OF justice prompts me to testify to the
courtesy, patience, and fidelity which
have marked his course in this matter.
Surely |, at least, have no complaint to
utter as TO his ever considerable aud kind
Iy bearing toward me, and his sincere desire
to give ample opportunity to prepare for
a fate which he felt that his official obli-
cations would not allow hiIn TO avert.
Opinions Of the Press.
But guilty or innocent. as the future
uaay or may not disclose the executed man,
there can be no intelligent condemnation
OF Gov. Lees part in the matter. Cluve-
rims had a full fair and impartial trial.